How to Shoot with a Kit Lens (and When to Upgrade)

Introduction

Is your kit lens holding you back, or is it just misunderstood? Most photographers will tell you to ditch it right away — and honestly, it’s advice I often give. But before you upgrade, you need to know how to squeeze the most out of it, when it’s time to move on, and how to choose the right upgrade.

In this blog post, we’re going to dive into everything about a kit lens and photography. What is it, how do we use it, and how do you know when it’s time to upgrade? I’ll also give you a clear path to which upgrades are worth the money.

👉 Looking for gear? Here are some of my favorite affordable primes and zoom lenses to upgrade to after selling your kit lens:

Canon:

35mm f/1.8 – Very versatile walk around lens
50mm f/1.8 – A classic favorite focal length, great for portraits
28-70mm f/2.8 – Versatile zoom with constant aperture

Sony:

35mm f/1.8 – A versatile prime, very budget friendly
50mm f/1.8 – Budget friendly, there are other choices if you want more quality
20-70mm f/4 – A great travel lens, or get a 24-70mm f/2.8 for better low light

Nikon:

35mm f/1.8 – Versatile prime lens, great quality!
50mm f/1.8 – Another great option for a nifty fifty from Nikon
24-70mm f/2.8 – A relatively affordable option for Nikon

What is a Kit Lens?

A kit lens is the standard zoom lens bundled with most entry-level cameras. The most common examples are:

18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 on crop sensor DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
24–105mm f/3.5–5.6 on many full-frame cameras.
16–50mm collapsible zooms on cameras like the Sony A6000 series.
28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 is Sony’s affordable, versatile kit lens

These lenses are compact, lightweight, and versatile — designed to give beginners a taste of wide-angle, mid-range, and short telephoto focal lengths in one affordable package.

Why is it called a “kit” lens?

It comes as part of the “camera kit” when you buy a new camera body. Not all kit lenses are bad but the really cheap ones that come with the less expensive cameras. If the camera body isn’t much cheaper than the camera body and lens, it’s probably a cheap kit lens 😉

Is the 18–55mm a kit lens?

Yes. It’s the classic entry-level kit lens included with many Canon, Nikon, and even some Sony cameras.

What does a kit lens do?

Covers wide to short telephoto in one lens.
Let’s beginners experiment with composition and focal length.
Provides enough versatility for landscapes, portraits, travel, and everyday photos. Albeit, not exceptional quality in any one category.

Why the Kit Lens Matters

Kit lenses are often dismissed, but they play an important role in a photographer’s journey:

They’re teachers. A kit lens lets you discover whether you prefer shooting wide landscapes, mid-range street photos, or tighter portraits.
They’re versatile. One lens can cover family gatherings, travel adventures, and even some beginner sports or wildlife shots.
They’re affordable. Bundled with a camera, they cost almost nothing extra.

But let’s be honest — they’re limited. Most kit lenses have:

Variable maximum apertures (f/3.5–5.6) → poor in low light.
Cheaper build materials → less durable.
Average sharpness compared to primes or pro zooms.
Slower autofocus, making them harder for action.

Kit Lens Comparisons

Kit Lens vs. 50mm Prime

Kit lens @ 50mm f/5.6: adequate, but struggles in low light.
50mm f/1.8 prime: sharp, creamy background blur, 3+ stops more light.

👉 Related: 50mm Lens Guide

If you want better portraits and low-light performance, the 50mm prime is the classic first upgrade for a beginning photographer.

Kit Lens vs. 35mm Prime

Kit lens @ 35mm f/4–5.6: works, but busy backgrounds.
35mm prime (f/1.8 or f/2): storytelling perspective with shallow depth of field.

👉 Related: How to Shoot with a 35mm Lens

Great for street photography, travel, or weddings where you want both subject and context.

Kit Lens vs. 24–70mm f/2.8 Pro Zoom

Kit lens 18–55mm or 28-70mm f/3.5–5.6: lightweight, but slow in low light.
24–70mm f/2.8: sharper, faster, built for professionals.

The pro zoom is expensive, but it can replace the kit lens entirely for serious photographers.

Studio Testing: Kit Lens Scenarios

In controlled tests, kit lenses reveal both strengths and weaknesses:

Bright light: At f/8, many kit lenses are surprisingly sharp — great for outdoor portraits or landscapes.
Low light: They struggle — you’ll often push ISO higher or accept motion blur.
Action: Slower autofocus makes sports and wildlife difficult.
Depth of field: Even at maximum zoom, you won’t get dramatic bokeh due to the narrow aperture.

Tips for Shooting with a Kit Lens

1. Use Good Light

Kit lenses struggle indoors and at night. Shoot outdoors, near windows, or add artificial lighting.

2. Stabilize Your Shots

Use a tripod, lean against walls, or enable image stabilization. Slower shutter speeds are common with kit lenses.

3. Stop Down for Sharpness

Most kit lenses are sharpest at f/8–f/11. Avoid shooting wide open if sharpness is your priority.

4. Be Intentional with Composition

Since you can’t blur backgrounds easily, use leading lines, framing, and clean backdrops to make subjects stand out.

5. Explore the Zoom Range

Shoot wide landscapes at 18mm, or portraits at 55mm. Notice which focal length you love most — that tells you what to upgrade to next to capture great photos.

👉 Related: Travel Photography Gear List

When to Upgrade Your Kit Lens

You should upgrade when:

You want blurred backgrounds (bokeh) for portraits.
You need better low-light performance.
You’re printing large or shooting professionally and need sharper optics.
Autofocus is too slow for your style.

The Problem With Variable Maximum Apertures on Kit Lenses

One of the most frustrating parts of kit lenses is their variable maximum aperture. We rented one from Lens Rentals to get real-world examples, and having not shot with a kit lens in a while, it reminded me just how limiting this can be. As you zoom in, the aperture shifts — your exposure changes — and shooting with full manual control becomes a constant juggling act. It feels like you’re reworking your settings every time you move.

What is a Variable Maximum Aperture?
Many kit lenses are labeled something like 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6. This means at 18mm, the lens can open up to f/3.5. But by the time you zoom to 55mm, the widest it can go is f/5.6. In practice, that means your exposure darkens as you zoom, and you have to adjust your shutter speed, ISO, or both to compensate.

This is one of the main reasons many photographers eventually upgrade. Faster primes and pro zooms maintain a constant maximum aperture, making shooting in low light and achieving shallow depth of field much easier. If you find yourself frustrated by these constant exposure shifts, that’s usually the clearest sign you’re ready for better glass — and that’s when photography starts to feel both easier and more creative.

Budget-Friendly Upgrade Paths

50mm f/1.8 prime ($150–$200) → affordable, great for portraits.
35mm prime → versatile storytelling lens.
85mm prime → flattering portraits, bokeh.

Professional Upgrade Paths

24–70mm f/2.8 zoom → replaces the kit lens entirely.
Holy Trinity of Zooms: 16–35mm, 24–70mm, 70–200mm.

FAQs about Kit Lenses

What is a kit lens?
A bundled zoom lens, usually 18–55mm or 24–105mm.

Is a kit lens good enough?
Yes, for beginners. It’s versatile, lightweight, and affordable. But you’ll quickly hit its limits in low-light situations or professional work.

How to tell if a lens is a kit lens?
If it came bundled with your camera body and has a variable aperture like f/3.5–5.6, it’s likely a kit lens.

What are the disadvantages of a kit lens?
Cheaper build, slower autofocus, limited low-light performance, less sharp than primes.

Is the Sony 18–135mm a kit lens?
Yes — it’s offered as a kit with some Sony APS-C bodies. It has more range but has the frustrating variable aperture of other kit lenses.

Is the Sony 16–50mm worth it?
It’s compact and useful for travel, but limited in sharpness and aperture.

What’s the difference between a kit lens and a prime lens?

Kit lens: variable zoom, versatile, lower image quality.
Prime lens: fixed focal length, sharper, faster aperture.

What is the best kit lens for beginners?
The Canon 18–55mm, Nikon 18–55mm, Sony 16–50mm, and Fuji 18–55mm f/2.8–4 are common choices. However, Fuji’s is widely praised for quality.

Conclusion

The kit lens is a great teacher. It’s versatile, lightweight, and affordable — but it has limits. Once you know what frustrates you most — low light, sharpness, or depth of field — that’s your clue it’s time to upgrade for amazing photos .

Beginners: start with your kit, then add a 50mm prime for portraits or low light.
Storytellers: consider a 35mm prime.
Professionals: invest in a 24–70mm f/2.8 or build out the Holy Trinity: 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm.

👉 Shop my recommended kit lens upgrades. (affiliate link)
👉 Check out related guides:

At the end of the day, the best lens is the one that makes you want to get out and shoot.

How to Shoot with a Kit Lens (and When to Upgrade)

Introduction